My Ford Touch Update to v.3.6

[MTF]

I just added to my post about an article from Popular Mechanics:

Of course, the third, 8-inch touchscreen isn't just a redundant system--in park, this screen will take advantage of Ford's new WiFi abilities, with an integrated browser that supports tabbed page navigation, a 3-D carousel for bookmark browsing, on-screen and USB-connected keyboards and text-to-voice readers. In-car WiFi is made possible through USB-installed air cards, a USB mobile broadband modem or by tethering wireless in a limited selection of phones (not the iPhone, possibly a Blackberry, Ford tells me).

With the WiFi also comes the ability to install apps--now Pandora, Stitchure and OpenBeak (a twitter client) are available with more to come, promises Ford, which will act as a gatekeeper for apps to make their way into the vehicles. WiFi access will also allow for software upgrades--no more DVD installations for the latest in-car software--and remote-access diagnostics (while you're driving, we would hope) are surely just around the corner. Ford is not planning on wi-fi hardware to be pre-installed just yet; in-car wi-fi is made possible through USB-installed air cards or a USB mobile broadband modem.

Starting with the 2011 Lincoln MXK, all Lincoln models will have My Touch and in the future, all Ford and Mercurys will follow suite with some version of MyFord. Ultimately, Ford hopes to offer My Touch in 80 percent of their fleet within 5 years, bringing high-end telematics to everyone.

Read more: Ford's My Touch System Bring WiFi and Apps to Cars - Popular Mechanics
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Visit us at PopularMechanics.com


Key words here are "Ford Promises"

 

[VA Soldier]

Can I use a Mac to save this file or does it have to be Windows?

You can use a Mac but I had to use Firefox on my Mac. Safari wouldn't download it properly. Kept telling me I needs to enable java but it was already enabled. Firefox did it no problem.

---------- Post added at 08:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:27 PM ----------

VA Soldier, what exactly are you doing with the wifi? Other than just connecting.

I haven't had time to research this.

I found this but I do not see anything on the MFT screen:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/news/4341692

And

http://www.egmcartech.com/2010/08/2...c-software-to-myford-touch-equipped-vehicles/

Both are old stories from 2010

I just connected to the wifi I my house.

 

[Bigeffr]

I did the update this morning on the way to work. Took about 35 minutes or so. The download took freakin' forever though.

 

[The Macf]

You can use a Mac but I had to use Firefox on my Mac. Safari wouldn't download it properly. Kept telling me I needs to enable java but it was already enabled. Firefox did it no problem.

I was running into the same problem and then went to the java website. There was a link you could click on that would test your java and then it was magically "enabled"


After 48 hours my iPod touch is acting up. I can select artist, songs, playlists whatever and it will play. However after I take the key out, the next time nothing comes out. The music is playing but no sound. Turn to fm am and there's sound. I can only fix it when I unplug replig the USB cable to the iPod.

 

[Evanscott29]

I tried the Wifi without the phone connected and it wouldn't let me do anything, strange.

Once the phone was connected then I was able to enter my WPA2 password to connect to my router.
But there is nothing you can do once connected. At least as far as the 2013 Escape goes.

I believe the purpose is the take your cellular data and turn you truck/car into a Wifi hot spot.
Would have to go into the manuals to confirm this.

That would be good for people who have unlimited data plan and a rooted/jail break phone. (I don't think anybody on this forum does something like that)
Otherwise turning your phone into a Wifi hot spot legally is costly.

Or use PDAnet from June Fabrics PDA Technology Group
I never had much success with rooting an Android, there is always something not working correctly.
And I'm sure you Apple guys Know that a jail broke iPhone does not work with the latest OS upgrade.

yes, you are supposed to be able to connect your phone and use the truck as a hotspot. Unfortunately I cannot get it to work. I can set up the hotspot but to actually get data transfer I cannot. I do have an unlimited data plan so that was my thought to keep the wife entertained while we are on long drives because I dont like to talk. ha.

---------- Post added at 08:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 AM ----------

I did also have to change my home networks password to all numbers but was also able to connect it to my home network. The truck from there though will not create a hotspot off of the home networks data.

 

[MTF]

If you have read those articles you can see that it says, Ford has not installed WiFi hardware yet. (Should say all hardware meaning extended router)
But I don't see any reason why they would the new smart phones do that all by themselves.
It's unlocking the tethering feature on the smart phones that's an issue,
without the carriers charging you insane amounts of money.

I have used PDAnet for six years now since Windows Moible 5.0 phones.
I paid $29.95 one time payment back then now it's $14.95

I used to have unlimited tethering for $9.95 on top of my $29.95 unlimited data plan but got cheap and let it go.

I have yet to use it PDAnet as a hot spot because I just USB tether it to the laptop to keep phone fully charged anyway.

 

[MC B2K]

I just used my Cricket Crosswave as a hotspot. The Raptor found it, and I entered the WEP key.

Once connected, I set up the truck hotspot, and was able to connect my Ipad to the truck hotspot.

This is redundant, as the Crosswave would allow multiple devices, makes sense if your usb hotspot works (which normally would only be attached to a computer). I couldn't get this to work previously.

So the short answer is, yes, 3.6 fixes all the Wifi stuff.

 

[BIRDMAN]

So...
I spent 45 minutes searching for a usb drive. Then the download froze at 38% after it seemed like it wouldn't take long. I went down stairs to eat a snack and when I came back the download was complete. I'm currently sitting in my idling truck in dead silence staring at the little progress bars on the screen. I printed the instructions on how to start the update and when I plugged the usb drive in the update started immediately....so that was a waste of paper.

I have rarely experienced any glitches with the 3.5 but I am curious to see what the deal is with 3.6.

---------- Post added at 06:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:23 PM ----------

Holy crap nice... everything is way faster. guess I didn't know what I was missing

 

[Zman12]

I have been worried about receiving my truck with all of these MFT bugs. I am very excited they have been working on getting them fixed!

 

[Evanscott29]

I'm going politely disagree because I am able to create and connect to the trucks wifi net work. So the hardware exists, the software to allow it to use the data on my phone connected via Bluetooth for the wifi network is where the issue arises.